The time for excuses by an “out of touch” government unwilling to make decisive choices for the greater good of South Africa’s economy is over. South Africa’s future competiveness depends on streamlining processes like visas, which will stimulate key growth sectors – such as tourism – and create jobs.
These hard-hitting words from SATSA CEO, David Frost, were echoed by other key industry players in response to the visa delays and denials highlighted by readers who participated in Tourism Update’s visa survey.
Industry associations such as SATSA, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and FEDHASA have long been vocal about the lack of urgency and efficiency in issuing visas and e-visas being a major barrier to tourism growth.
Tourism Update launched the informal survey as a call to readers to share their personal stories of how their bookings had been impacted by what Frost says is a culture of intransigent bureaucracy with no acknowledgement that there…